by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've gathered data and other essential information about the program, such as the average salary of graduates, ethnicity of students, how many students graduated in recent times, and more. In addition, we cover how WGU ranks in comparison to other schools with special ed programs.
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WGU is in the top 10% of the country for special ed. More specifically it was ranked #51 out of 602 schools by College Factual. It is also ranked #3 in Utah.
During the 2020-2021 academic year, Western Governors University handed out 836 bachelor's degrees in special education. This is an increase of 9% over the previous year when 769 degrees were handed out.
In 2021, 420 students received their master’s degree in special ed from WGU. This makes it the #6 most popular school for special ed master’s degree candidates in the country.
The median salary of special ed students who receive their bachelor's degree at WGU is $39,431. This is great news for graduates of the program, since this figure is higher than the national average of $38,748 for all special ed bachelor's degree recipients.
Special Ed majors graduating with a master's degree from WGU make a median salary of $51,672 a year. This is a better than average outcome since the median salary for all special ed graduates with a master's is $48,941.
While getting their bachelor's degree at WGU, special ed students borrow a median amount of $25,158 in student loans. This is not too bad considering that the median debt load of all special ed bachelor's degree recipients across the country is $26,700.
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the special ed majors at Western Governors University.
Of the 836 special ed students who graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2020-2021 from WGU, about 12% were men and 88% were women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 81% of 2021 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Western Governors University with a bachelor's in special ed.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 6 |
| Black or African American | 23 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 67 |
| White | 680 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 60 |
Of the 420 students who graduated with a Master’s in special ed from WGU in 2021, 14% were men and 86% were women.
The majority of master's degree recipients in this major at WGU are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 79% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Western Governors University with a master's in special ed.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 2 |
| Black or African American | 10 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17 |
| White | 330 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 61 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Curriculum & Instruction | 2,690 |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 2,452 |
| Instructional Media Design | 2,099 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 1,677 |
| Educational Assessment | 1,228 |
